TfL Financial Operations

Shaun Bailey: What discussions with TfL are you having about their financial operations over the next few months?

Sadiq Khan: I am in constant contact with TfL about the operation of the transport network in London and the organisation’s financial outlook.
COVID-19 has presented enormous challenges for TfL. 80% of TfL’s operating budget comes from fares and other commercial activity. Given that only 5% of normal travel happened on the Tube for much of March, April and May, it is no surprise that fares income collapsed by 90%. Londoners have done the right thing. They have stayed away from public transport, but this has hit TfL’s finances extremely hard.
At last month’s TfL Board meeting, an emergency budget was presented which assumes cost reductions and deferrals of nearly £1billion and the use of £1billion of TfL’s cash reserves. Even with these measures, there is a funding gap of up to £1.9billion in the first half of the year, which has been met through the deal with the Government. At next month’s Board meeting, a revised budget for 2020/21 will be considered.
I have regular discussions with the management at TfL, the most recent being on Tuesday, and my Deputy Mayor for Transport is heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the organisation and its finances. I chair the TfL Board and I make sure that all decisions taken by the organisation are done in a transparent way with the best interests of London and Londoners at heart.
TfL has a key role to play in delivering the recovery, but the deal we have done with the Government is just a sticking-plaster. We must now create a sustainable way of funding TfL over the medium to long term. It is an indisputable fact that TfL has under my leadership tightened its belt and tackled the profligacy of the previous administration. It reduced its net operating deficit by 71% and increased its cash balances by 16% since May2016. We have also for the last four years done something never achieved before: reduced the operating cost year-on-year at TfL. We have streamlined the organisation and made it more efficient. The reality is that the funding model for TfL is broken. Even before the pandemic, TfL had to manage the impact of an average reduction of around £700million per year in the Government grant and was one of the only transport authorities in the world not to receive a direct Government operational grant for day-to-day running costs.
I will be doing all I can to find a sustainable long-term answer. I just hope the Government will do the same, too.

Shaun Bailey: Do you accept that as a major consequence of your financial mismanagement of TfL over the last four years, TfL was in an appalling position to cope with lockdown?

Sadiq Khan: No. For the last four years, we have managed to reduce the operating deficit by more than 71%. It went from £1.5billion to £200million. We managed to increase the cash balances by more than 16%, which meant that before the pandemic our cash balances were more than £2billion. We have managed to year-on-year reduce operating deficit, never done before in the six years before I became Mayor and TfL being formed. We have reduced, for example, the numbers of non-permanent labour by more than 57% over the last four years and we are also servicing the debt of more than £7billion taken out by the previous Mayor.
We were in a good state and we had plans to go into surplus over the course of the next year and a half, but COVID will impact TfL’s budget by around £4billion a year. Every transport authority in the country has been affected by COVID and every business in London has been affected by COVID as well.

Shaun Bailey: Even if you do not want to admit your culpability, your recent statements give us a clue that you recognise some of your mistakes. Do you recall just over three months ago on 13March [2020] you admitted that if re-elected you would raise Tube fares?

Sadiq Khan: What I said was I would freeze the bus fares, as I have done over the last four years, which means in 2024 Londoners will still be paying £1.50. I said I would extend the Hopper fare, which has benefited hundreds of millions of journeys across our city. Any other fares will go up by no more than the cost of living.
You will be aware that the previous Mayor raised fares by more than 42%. Had I not been successful in 2016, my Conservative opponent was hoping to raise fares by more than 17%. It is quite clear. Labour Mayors freeze fares. Conservative Mayors raise them.

Shaun Bailey: You are going to raise fares? You admit to that?

Sadiq Khan: Let me repeat, Chair, because the Member may have had bad communication with his technology. The bus fares that I froze over the last four years are still £1.50 from 2016. They will carry on being frozen over the next four years and they will still be £1.50 in 2024. The Hopper fare will be continued going forward so that people can change fares as many times as they like within the course of an hour. Other fares will go up no more than the cost of living. It is not possible for me to freeze those fares but they will go up by no more than the cost of living. That was a ceiling, not a floor.
What the Government has done with the conditions attached to the funding deal is to not have a ceiling but to say they must go up at least by Retail Price Index (RPI) plus 1%. It is not a maximum of the cost of living. It is the cost of living plus 1%. There is a clear difference and it just demonstrates what we know. Dogs bark, ducks quack, Conservatives raise fares.

Shaun Bailey: Why then on 15May, after signing the bailout agreement - and I am quoting here - did you say, “They want fares to go up next January, ending four years of fare freeze that I delivered after the last election”? Had you forgotten from two months earlier that you were going to raise fares or are you trying to take Londoners for fools and shift the blame?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, one of the problems when you have already written your questions out is that, when I answer the question, you still read the question you have written out.
As I have answered, bus fares would have been frozen for the next four years. A bus fare in January2016 was £1.50 and it would have been £1.50 in January2024 as well. I would have frozen bus fares. Those bus fares are now going to go up because of the conditions attached to the funding deal from the Government. They will no longer be £1.50. It is quite straightforward, Chair.

Shaun Bailey: No, it is not, MrMayor. I asked you about Tube fares. You tried to intimate that the Government had forced you to raise Tube fares when you had announced long before lockdown that you were going to raise Tube fares. I put it to you. Are you taking Londoners for fools by saying that it is the Government forcing you to raise Tube fares when you have already said you were going to do that? It was in the TfL business plan and it was in several major media outlets across London. Are you taking Londoners for fools?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, let me just remind the AssemblyMember of the history. The business plan in 2016 that I inherited also had fares going up above RPI. I ignored the business plan and froze the fares.
I was quite clear in relation to what my intentions were. My intentions, which I telegraphed, were to freeze bus fares. That is taken as said. The Hopper fare stays. As far as Tube fares are concerned, they could well be frozen, but they will go up by no more than the cost of living.
The conditions attached from the Government mean that I cannot do that. The conditions from the Government are that they must go up at least by RPI plus 1%, as well as bus fares, tram fares and Overground.

Shaun Bailey: MrMayor, in 2016 you used the words, “No Londoner will pay more to travel in 2020 than they did in 2016”. That was false then. It continues to be false now. This is a decision that you made to raise the fares. It predates‑‑

Sadiq Khan: You are reading a script. Come on. Ask a question and listen to the answer.

Shaun Bailey: Why are you now trying to make it look like the Government asked you to raise these fares when you had already --

Sadiq Khan: I published the conditions, Chair. I know that the Government was not keen for me to publish the conditions. I have published the conditions so that Londoners can see in black and white what the conditions were. Londoners will not be taken for fools. It is really important for Londoners to see who is responsible not least for the Congestion Charge rising, for fares going up, for under-18s paying fares, but also for the conditions for those over 60 as well.

Shaun Bailey: MrMayor, you are saying that your management of TfL has put TfL in a strong place when TfL has a record amount of debt, Crossrail needed a £3.35billion bailout, 22 out of 26 major projects have been paused or cancelled and you do not believe that your poor management --

Sadiq Khan: Let us deal with each of those things that he is reading out. In relation to debt, the previous Mayor borrowed more than £7billion. I have not borrowed more than £7billion. I have been paying back the debt of the previous Mayor. In fact, the £2billion we borrowed is to invest in infrastructure.

Shaun Bailey: MrMayor -- you are wasting my time --

Sadiq Khan: In relation to operating costs, I am the first Mayor to reduce the operating costs of TfL. In the 16 years before I became Mayor, including the previous eight when [The Rt Hon] BorisJohnson [MP, Prime Minister] was the Mayor, operating costs went up year-on-year, a good example of waste that I have managed to reduce as Mayor. When the previous Mayor gave me the reins of TfL, our deficit was £1.5billion. It did not increase. It went down year-on-year and so it is £200million, a reduction of more than 71%.
Cash balances we have managed to increase as well and so we have more than £2billion worth of cash balances. In fact, we have spent £1billion of our cash balances paying for TfL or passengers using TfL.
That is the very opposite of inefficiency. That is very opposite of financial mismanagement. I am sorry it does not go with the script he has written or has been written for him. That is the reality.

Shaun Bailey: Chair, the Mayor is deliberately filibustering and wasting our time. Let us be clear, MrMayor. The 30% of TfL staff you laid off do not think that you have done something efficient. You have ruined their --

Sadiq Khan: Hold on a second. Let us deal with the staff. We managed to reduce non-permanent staff by more than 57%. That is a massive saving to TfL. I am sorry if he is in favour of us taking on more non-permanent staff. I am not. I would rather have permanent staff who are committed to TfL and who are cheaper and more professional in the long term.

Shaun Bailey: Chair, could you stop the Mayor, please? He is deliberately wasting our time and refusing to answer questions. We all know that he has run TfL into the floor and he should take responsibility for that.

International co-operation and covid-19 initiatives

Nicky Gavron: London is now leading the way in terms of transforming out streets for pedestrians and cyclists. But in conversations with other global cities, what further initiatives are you looking to introduce to ensure London's transition and recovery from the covid-19 pandemic improves social, economic and environmental outcomes?

Sadiq Khan: Tackling a global pandemic is a monumental challenge that transcends national and city boundaries. In London, as we have done ever since the start of this crisis, we will continue to work with other major cities to identify and share the most effective actions we can take to ensure that recovery does not involve a return to business as usual. While it is crucial that we focus on the emergency response, we also need to plan for the future. This will be a team effort involving City Hall, London Councils, the national Government, businesses, charities, the NHS, major institutions like universities and of course Londoners. The scale of the challenge cannot be underestimated. We already have experts warning this economic shock will be more severe than the global financial crash of 2018 that led to a crisis. That is without the added and unnecessary risk of a hard Brexit.
We will see certain sectors of the economy, such as hospitality and tourism, particularly badly hit and we will likely see levels of unemployment that we have not experienced since the 1980s. To help us step up to the challenge, I have set up a Recovery Board which I chair with the Chair of London Councils, Councillor PeterJohn[OBE], and which includes representation from local and central Government to provide a strategic steer to the work of the task force. It has already provided a strong steer that the programme must, at its heart, address inequalities in environment and health, be innovative, affordable and led by both data and the experiences of Londoners. We are embarking on unprecedented engagement with Londoners to gather their aspirations for the city as we come out of this crisis, but this should also mean a dialogue with the Government about the need for further devolution, to bring London more in line with other global cities like New York, Tokyo and Paris. The decisions we will need to take during the recovery, from addressing inequality to skills and housing shortages, are best taken at a local level where they are best understood.

Nicky Gavron: Thank you for that very comprehensive answer. All over the world now cities, as you pointed out, are grappling with huge rises in unemployment and tragically this is going to impact most on young Londoners - long-term impact - who are already feeling pretty despondent about their future. This week GLA Economics announced that we would be losing, in this year, 500,000 jobs. Here is an idea: the Shadow Business Secretary has suggested the creation of a zero-carbon army of young people. As I said, it is going to impact mostly on young people, certainly on their long-term prospects. There is a huge potential here for new jobs in retrofit, in construction, in nature conservation. There are others as well. My question is, when you put into the fiscal statement that is coming out next month from the Chancellor, are you going to ask for job creation schemes for young people and particularly for green job creation schemes?

Sadiq Khan: Absolutely. These are some of the conversations I have been having with the nine metro mayors across the country because they also want to do this as well, because also they, like me, are best-placed to do this rather than civil servants in Whitehall. Part of this is what you said, the job creation schemes, part of it is reskilling or skilling up people, Londoners, to have the skills for these jobs. Some of the other areas are, for example, potentially electrifying transport. Some of the other areas are expanding community energy. You touched upon the retrofitting programmes. We are quite keen for the Government to devolve to us further resources and powers to do just that. We have got our education, but also we are keen to make sure other areas we can get resources to help them have the skills for the jobs that could be created. I want a green recovery, a sustainable recovery and not a return to business as usual.

Nicky Gavron: Yes. Here is one suggestion that you might want to put to him, which is that the eco funding that currently is a levy on all our household electricity and gas bills and goes to the utilities is taken from the utilities and given to you. Then London might get its fair share, which would amount to about £100million a year and in fact would be a very helpful stimulus for a much more expanded retrofit programme, but that is just a suggestion.
I wanted to get on to another question. This is a quote and it really in a sense reinforces what you have just been saying. It is a quote from Downing Street and it goes like this, “To get this country back on its feet, we need mayors to be at the forefront of the local recovery”. You have made that statement. It is cities that know their local needs. That was said by Downing Street I think after you and the other metro mayors had met the Prime Minister, so that was last month. Currently, I do not think I am exaggerating to say that the local government, city government, is handcuffed to central Government. If you are going to get those freedoms, those powers, those finances, you are going to need help with that, but I am just wondering exactly what you might be asking for so that we can not just build to the world that we came from, build a recovery to the world that was, but build forward to a new and more equitable and, if possible, green recovery.

Sadiq Khan: Those are various points well made, Chair. Firstly, I like the idea of the eco levy being spent where it is raised. You will be aware the Government tends to tax Londoners and spend it elsewhere. I will make sure my team makes a note of us making representations around the eco levy.
In relation to not returning to the world as it was, I am keen to avoid a car-led recovery. It is really important that the Assembly supports me where it can in relation to more walking, more cycling and making the temporary changes permanent where we can. Also you will be aware, AssemblyMemberGavron, that the previous Mayor [Boris Johnson MP] commissioned the London Finance Commission, a cross-party group of experts and some who were apolitical, to come up with recommendations, which we have updated. Now being the current Prime Minister, bearing in mind he was proposing that commission, the London Finance Commission, he understands that we need far more devolution to London to give us the powers to do many of the things that you say.
You are right, I was present at the online phone call with the Prime Minister. I will also be taking part later on today in a phone call with M9 colleagues with the Chancellor and we will be lobbying him to devolve to us the powers and the resources to make sure we can have a transition in the recovery that is a new normal, that is not a return to business as usual. That means devolving powers to us around skills, around job creation, around infrastructure and other areas where we currently do have the powers and resources we desperately need. It is not just a London issue, it is an issue for all the cities and regions across our country.

Nicky Gavron: Thank you.

Modern Slavery Statement

Keith Prince: Do you think now is the time to update your Modern Slavery Statement?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you, Chair. Modern slavery is a horrendous crime which affects some of the most vulnerable people in London. The GLA, the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), GLA Holdings Limited and GLA Land and Property Limited all have robust modern slavery statements in place, which set out the steps we take to make sure our supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking. They are updated annually. In my Police and Crime Plan, I made a commitment to support partnerships that will stamp out modern slavery in the capital and I remain committed to this.
I established the London Modern Slavery Partnership Board, which brings together partners from all sectors to share intelligence and best practice and pool resources. This has now partnered with the London Leads Network of local authority representatives and London Councils so that good practice is shared across London to ensure that Londoners lead the national effort. My Deputy Mayor and London’s Victims Commissioner regularly meet with DameSaraThornton, the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner. Last year I provided £10,000 to support the Modern Slavery Helpline, operated by the charity Unseen, and I have matched this again this year. This provides faster advice to victims and is a valuable source of intelligence for police forces as they continued to offer a vital service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I am concerned that as lockdown begins to ease the number of people being exploited could rise as businesses begin to reopen. As the charity, Hestia, has highlighted, there is a particular risk because some businesses are likely to be looking for ways to cut costs in a difficult economic climate. However, the MPS will keep bearing down on perpetrators of modern slavery. The Modern Slavery Child Exploitation Unit has around 100 officers working on this issue. Recently, the Modern Day Slavery Investigation Team carried out a day of action targeting the sexual exploitation of women at brothels in Westminster. This resulted in six arrests and led to a second investigation focused on perpetrators using the proceeds of crime to fund their luxurious lifestyles. I will continue to work closely with the MPS, local authorities and the charitable sector to tackle this dreadful issue.

Keith Prince: Thank you, MrMayor. I absolutely welcome everything that you do on modern-day slavery. As you probably know, I am a big supporter of the work that is done in this area. My question, MrMayor, is do you agree - and I think from what you have said earlier you do - that forcing someone to work under threat of suspension of pay when ill or when given medical advice to self-isolate or when lacking life-saving protection equipment might constitute a form of forced labour, as defined under the Modern Slavery Act?

Sadiq Khan: Firstly, can I thank you for your care in this area. It is a really good example of cross-party working. From what you have said, I think that that would be not acceptable. It should not be done.

Keith Prince: Thank you. Would you agree also, MrMayor, that if bus drivers were forced to work when they are sick, there should be serious consequences?

Sadiq Khan: Yes. One of the things that we did early doors is - you will be aware there are ten big bus operators - we made sure that they were shielding vulnerable bus drivers and that all bus drivers are included, not just those who are older, but those who have underlying health conditions. No bus driver who is vulnerable or is at risk of suffering the worst consequences of catching COVID-19 should feel forced to work. We also did this with our cleaners - they are not our cleaners, they are employed by private companies - to also make sure their pay was guaranteed so they would not inadvertently feel they have to work when they should not be.

Keith Prince: I am glad you mentioned the cleaners, MrMayor, because quite rightly within the Modern Slavery Statement we do - or you do - identify cleaners as one of those areas that should be protected. As bus companies are contractors, subcontractors, do you not think we should include bus drivers under your umbrella of protection, MrMayor?

Sadiq Khan: We do not employ the bus drivers, but we are quite clear with the bus operators what is expected of them, just like we do not employ the cleaners directly. We are quite clear in relation to what our expectations are, and by and large the bus operators have been really good. I know GarethPowell [Managing Director of Surface Transport, TfL] talked about this when he came before the Transport Committee earlier on this week, a number of good questions about this. We are keen to make sure that all the people we have contracts with as part of the procurement understand the responsibilities we expect of them.

Keith Prince: In the statement, MrMayor, you quite rightly identified cleaners as being a prime risk, but should we not also bring under your umbrella, because I think we would all welcome it and the unions would welcome it, bus drivers as well‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Absolutely.

Keith Prince: ‑‑ because there are a large proportion of BAME in that area, there are a lot of people at risk, and do you not think we should just add them in?

Sadiq Khan: Just to reassure you, not only have we gone above and beyond any transport authority in the country in relation to safety of bus drivers‑‑

Keith Prince: I agree.

Sadiq Khan: ‑‑ I have also commissioned University College London (UCL), the Institute of Health Equity there, led by SirMichaelMarmot [Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity], to do a piece of really serious independent work reassuring us that we are doing all we can, as you are concerned about as well, to make sure our bus drivers are safe, but also to come back with recommendations about what more we can do. That is notwithstanding the fact that they are not employed by us. Sorry, I do not want to give an impression we do not care about them. The fact they are employed by independent companies is irrelevant. We really do care about them.

Keith Prince: That is the point, MrMayor. I know you do care about them and I absolutely accept that you genuinely care about them. All I am asking is can we make it a more formal protection under you, MrMayor, to review the statement and to possibly include them in the statement?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, why don’t I raise with Heidi [Alexander] to speak with KeithPrince [AM] because, as ever, he has a good idea, so can I offline resolve this? I am sure we will address the concerns you have raised because they are often good concerns. Let me ask HeidiAlexander [Deputy Mayor for Transport] to deal with this, please, Chair.

Keith Prince: Thank you.

EU deal and London’s economy

Leonie Cooper: How important is it to London’s economy, businesses and Londoners for a good trade deal with the EU to be secured and arrangements to be in place by the end of this year, particularly in relation to London’s economic recovery from COVID-19?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you, Chair. The COVID-19 pandemic poses a great threat to Londoners’ jobs and livelihoods, with the prospect of a domestic and global recession hanging over us. Most Londoners will be deeply disappointed that at a time of crisis the Government is putting dogma ahead of the national interest by refusing to extend the transition period with the EU. No one could have anticipated that the key negotiations would take place at a time when the UK and the EU are rightly focused on fighting a global pandemic. The last thing that Londoners need as we try to get back on track following the devastation wreaked by the coronavirus is the chaos that will result from the failure to agree a trade deal.
That is why I have written to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, MichaelGove, urging the Government to put political ideology aside and to see the pragmatic route of seeking an extension to the negotiations. This would mean that we and our European partners could focus our efforts on recovery from COVID-19, the biggest health, social and economic emergency we have faced since the Second World War.

Léonie Cooper: Thank you very much, MrMayor. Many Londoners have written to me saying that they are very pleased that you have written in those terms because they do feel that this is a great danger. I do not think anyone is trying to unpick Brexit. That is quite clearly going to occur, but at the time when we set the date for the exit on 31December [2020] nobody, I think, had any concept that a pandemic was going to happen. I do not think it is just dogma, as you said. Would you agree with me that sticking blindly to the date of 31December and not revisiting it in the light of the incredible crisis that we are in is actually ideological idiocy? Would you be surprised to know that the Deputy Chair of the Economy Committee [Susan Hall AM] yesterday voted in favour of sticking with that timing?

Sadiq Khan: I have to be very careful because the Chair might tell me off for saying anything that could enhance my chances of winning next May or reduce the chances of the current Conservative candidate next May. I will stay in order and not deal with your final point, but in relation to Brexit, we have left the EU. We left on 31January [2020]. What we have though is a transition period up until the end of this year to do a deal with the EU.
The reality is I have seen for myself the fact that the bandwidth of our Government has been focused on dealing with COVID-19, as indeed it has for EU governments as well, including the EU, and so very little time has been focused on getting a good trade deal for either side. The point I made and you have alluded to is that there is a pragmatic reason for seeking an extension. We are not going to go back and re-enter the EU, so there is no reason for the Leavers to panic about that, the Brexiteers. This is about a pragmatic decision to extend the transition period to make sure there is sufficient time to negotiate this really complex deal.
I am seeing later on today President[Emmanuel]Macron, who has awarded our city the highest order France can give for our efforts during the Second World War. I am afraid I will not get a chance to discuss negotiations with him, but it is an example of really good fraternal relations with our European colleagues. It is in everyone’s interests to still do a good deal with the EU, which will mean that the consequences of COVID-19 on our city will not be compounded by a bad deal or even, God forbid, no deal.

Léonie Cooper: MrMayor, yesterday we heard from the London Chamber of Commerce, who said that Brexit is an existential threat for many businesses across London. I am sure you have heard what [Dame]CarolynFairbairn from the Confederation of British Industry [CBI] has said. This is not just people from one part of the political spectrum, this is many businesses saying that a no-deal Brexit is going to be an appalling threat to them, on top of what is clearly turning into a major recession due to this pandemic. Yet we see that Members of this Assembly are spending more time worried about an increase in the C-Charge from £11.50 to £15 a day. Which have businesses been raising with you, the issue of a no-deal Brexit or the increase in the C-Charge? Which are they saying is the greater threat to their ongoing existence?

Sadiq Khan: I speak regularly to business groups and businesses. In the last two weeks I have spoken to the CBI, London First, the London Chamber of Commerce, London School of Business and many others as well. I think they are all concerned in relation to a no-deal Brexit. It would be, in my view, the biggest act of economic self-harm ever committed by our Government. I think that those who seek to obstruct it need to understand that actually one of our roles in City Hall is in relation to the economic prosperity and wellbeing of our city. That is why I am making the case, gently and politely, to the Government. Let us make sure we do not inadvertently end the transition on 31December without any deal whatsoever, which would be catastrophic for our business. I talked about the potential of mass unemployment because of COVID-19. Can you imagine on top of that no deal with our biggest trading partner? It would be catastrophic.

Léonie Cooper: Thank you very much, MrMayor. The Economy Committee yesterday decided that it would join you in writing to the Government to try to see if this could be avoided. Thank you very much, Chair.

Sadiq Khan: Thank you.

Congestion Charge Consultation

Tony Devenish: Are you comfortable that your consultation on your proposed changes to the Congestion Charge enabled all interested stakeholders to have their say?

Sadiq Khan: I want to make clear that the Government required us to bring forward these proposals as part of the funding deal to enable our transport network to keep running during this critical time. The Government insisted that we not only reintroduce the C-Charge immediately, but that we urgently bring forward proposals to widen the scope and level of the charges.

Tony Devenish: Chair, I am sorry, that is not my question. MrKhan is not answering my question. We have already heard his statement before. Can he answer the question, please?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I do not tell the AssemblyMember how to ask his questions; he cannot tell me how to answer them. We are also being forced to increase TfL fares and take away travel for under‑18s. It is wrong that the Government is punishing Londoners for doing the right thing. The temporary changes received widespread media coverage. The exceptional circumstances surrounding these changes, as well as their temporary nature, meant that it was not possible to hold a lengthy formal consultation.
However, I wanted to make sure that Londoners and all interested stakeholders had an opportunity to feed in and make their views heard. TfL has invited people to share their views by 4June [2020]. This invitation was published on TfL’s website and in the Metro newspaper on 29May. I am pleased that so many people took the time to respond. Alongside the 3,000 emails received by TfL, a further 1,000 messages were sent to City Hall. We have listened to what people had to say and as a consequence I asked TfL to modify the original proposed changes and add further mitigations to the package.
Much like a formal consultation exercise, the proposals were refined following consideration of the views expressed by the public and stakeholders. For example, the residents’ discount will now be open to new applicants until 31July, meaning that residents who have only ever driven on the weekend and so have never applied for the discount will have until 31July to do so. We have also extended the NHS patient reimbursement rules so that people who are most at risk can receive a refund if they travel to their hospital appointments by car. In addition to the NHS, ambulance and care worker reimbursements I have previously announced will also work in reimbursement arrangements for local authorities with charities operating in the zone when they are providing services in response to COVID-19. TfL is working with partners to develop the details of these arrangements with the intention they will be put in place as soon as possible. Reimbursements under this new scheme will be backdated to when the changes go live, which is next Monday, 22June.

Tony Devenish: MrMayor, can you think of a single public consultation during the last four years - or indeed, the last 20years - of the GLA that has been less than a week?

Sadiq Khan: This was not a formal consultation, Chair, because of the conditions imposed by the Government. The reason why the AssemblyMember was trying to cut me short when I was explaining the reason why we are doing this is because he is embarrassed at his Government.

Tony Devenish: No. Chair, can I come in?

Sadiq Khan: What he should do is, rather than being embarrassed, lobby his Government.

Tony Devenish: Sorry, MrMayor, my time is limited. I thought we had a cross-party consensus that we all understand that TfL does a pretty good job at running a very complex asset management system, but I thought we had an agreement it needs to do more in terms of customer service and not having a tin ear. Did you instruct it to have such a short public consultation? It is a sham to have a few days for such a major change, whether you are for it or against it. All I am asking is Londoners get their say.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, this is a really good example of mock anger from the Conservatives.

Tony Devenish: No, no, there is no mock.

Navin Shah: Let the Mayor answer the question.

Sadiq Khan: The Member is seeking to heckle me because he is embarrassed at his Government and he is trying to muddy the waters. It is his Government that told us to immediately reinstate the C-Charge and to bring forward urgent proposals to widen the scope and level of charges. If he feels so strongly about this, why is he not lobbying‑‑

Tony Devenish: MrMayor, can I get a word in, please? My time is limited, MrMayor. You get to answer all the questions; I get to ask very few. My question, sir, is what‑‑

Navin Shah: Can you allow the Mayor to complete the answer, please, AssemblyMemberDevenish?

Tony Devenish: I think I have heard his answer, Chair. He has given it to about three AssemblyMembers. Can I ask about my church, faith group, in‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Chair, he cannot interrupt the answer because he does not like it.

Tony Devenish: There was not an answer, that is the problem. I would like you to talk to me about how‑‑

Sadiq Khan: It was not a question. It was a speech. That is the problem.

Tony Devenish: ‑‑ you have gone out to engage with church groups, with businesses suffering coronavirus and with pensioners and the disabled, because this is a sham consultation. This is a serious point, MrMayor.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, look‑‑

Tony Devenish: You cannot just ram through public policy without listening to Londoners.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, the problem with this mock anger is the evidence is the opposite of the mock anger. If this Member was really angry and genuine, where is his lobbying of [The Rt Hon] GrantShapps [MP, Secretaryof State forTransport]? Where is his lobbying of BorisJohnson [MP, Prime Minister]? Where are his letters and his anger to them saying, “How dare you? How dare‑‑”

Tony Devenish: My lobbying, MrMayor, is not asking you to extend the C-Charge and not to --

Sadiq Khan: Chair, it does not work if I am interrupted.

Navin Shah: Look, this is‑‑

Tony Devenish: I have one final question, if I can, Chair.

Sadiq Khan: No. I have not answered your last three. Chair, look, you cannot have him, as soon as I broach his questions‑‑

Tony Devenish: The last question, MrMayor, is did you --

Navin Shah: Can I please ask both of you to stop now?

Sadiq Khan: It is ridiculous. He claims to want to speak for his residents but does not wait for the answer. This is ridiculous.

Tony Devenish: MrMayor, can I finish on the point‑‑

Sadiq Khan: He is even worse than AssemblyMemberBailey, and he was really bad.

Tony Devenish: MrMayor, could I finish on the point? This is a temporary measure.

Sadiq Khan: No. I have not answered your last three questions, Chair.

Tony Devenish: Will you confirm‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Chair, can you rein him in, please? He is out of control.

Tony Devenish: MrMayor, will you confirm‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Chair, is it my turn or his?

Tony Devenish: ‑‑ that it is a temporary measure and will you give us a date when you would commit‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I will let him finish because he started.

Tony Devenish: ‑‑ to a full statutory public consultation and not just try to ram this through as a permanent measure?

Navin Shah: MrMayor, a final word, please.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, with respect, he has asked four questions and I have not been able to answer any of them because of his ranting. Let me just deal with this point: if he is serious about being concerned about the lack of a formal lengthy consultation, his anger and concern should be addressed and directed towards the Conservative Government, which required TfL, as part of the --

Tony Devenish: Chair, can I leave it there. I am not getting an answer.

Navin Shah: Let me stop here.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, can you mute this guy? Can he be muted?

Tony Devenish: There is no point. MrMayor will not answer the questions.

Navin Shah: Can I please stop both of you here?

Tony Devenish: It is wasting Conservative Group time. Can you cut him off and I will stop? This is a farce.

Navin Shah: I am going to stop here. Can we stop here? Look, this kind of talking over each other and heckling does not help anyone. Can I please urge the Members and the Mayor to stick to their question, succinct answers and move on. Frankly – and it is the same for the listeners probably - I did not pick up quite a lot of what was said, so for everyone, may I please ask that you do not heckle, allow MrMayor to answer the questions and stick to the point, please, from both sides? Thank you.

Energy from waste

Leonie Cooper: I welcome your decision to begin a legal challenge against the Government’s decision to grant permission to build an additional incinerator at Cory Riverside Energy. How are you working with Cory and Boroughs to make the most of their existing site, such as increasing anaerobic digestion capacity and maximising the number of homes connected to the heat network?

Navin Shah: We have practically no time left. Assembly Member Cooper, do you still want to pursue your question?

Léonie Cooper: I think the point that I am trying to make is that we need to be looking at air quality issue, carbon intensity issues, and also looking for other ways to dispose of waste, rather than always expanding incinerator capacity. Would you agree with that, Mr Mayor?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you, Chair. The Assembly Member will know from the brilliant work she has done over the last four years that the UK has now gone two months without coal in our energy mix, which is a huge achievement. You are absolutely right. We are trying to make sure that we do what we can - rather than have more incinerators - to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill or burning. When it has to be incinerators, we can use the heat to make energy, and we can divert more waste to be recycled rather than to be incinerated.

Navin Shah: Thank you, Mr Mayor. The time is up. That brings us to the conclusion of questions to the Mayor. May I thank you, Mr Mayor, for your answers? Thank you very much.

Westferry Printworks Decision

Unmesh Desai: Will the Mayor agree with me that – since the Secretary of State Robert Jenrick MP has admitted that his decision in January to allow the Westferry Printworks development to proceed “could give rise to the appearance of bias” – it is inappropriate for another Government minister to now determine the case and that it should instead be determined by an outside agency?

Sadiq Khan: The Secretary of State’s decision to grant planning permission on 14January2020 was the subject of legal challenges by the GLA and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. I am pleased that the High Court has decided to quash the decision, and this was the correct decision in the circumstances. The Government needs to handle this matter with the utmost transparency.
This decision makes it clear that the principles of judicial review can be relied upon to ensure the lawfulness and fairness of any such subsequent redetermination of this planning application in the normal way. My Planning Team will liaise with the Planning Inspectorate in relation to the procedure for redetermining the planning application.

Unmesh Desai: Thank you, Mr Mayor. Mr Mayor, however, things have now moved on. This is more than just a question of who decides on the application. There are issues here of probity, transparency and accountability. On 11June [2020], the Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government raised an urgent question to Parliament about the case and probity in the planning system. Can I also thank Tower Hamlets Council for bringing this legal challenge? It is that challenge that has led to what is now a national scandal. I am limited in the scope of my question both by time and also the lack of immunity that parliamentarians get.
I want to ask you two questions. The first question is, Mr Mayor, you yourself often play a role in the planning system like that of the Secretary of State in making decisions on called-in applications. Would you feel comfortable making a decision involving the applicant who you had had conversations with without at the very least disclosing the dates and contents of any correspondence?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you, Chair. Transparency, accountability and public scrutiny are really important in all that we do, and that includes planning applications as well. I have asked, since I have been Mayor, GLA officers to include specific reference in our planning reports to any request for or against call-ins or a direction to refuse, whether formal or informal. I take my quasi-judicial function really seriously, and it is really important there is maximum transparency.

Unmesh Desai: Thank you, Mr Mayor. Mr Mayor, I was first made aware of this situation in May2016, when a local councillor expressed his worries to me about the relationship between your predecessor and the developer. We now know from The Times newspaper that your predecessor [Boris Johnson MP], who is now Prime Minister, met the developer three times. There are other issues as well: RobertJenrick [MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government] sharing a table with the developer at a Conservative Party fundraiser. These are issues that I have written to the police about that actually need investigation.
I must say, Mr Mayor, that I have not been satisfied with the police response at all. I feel that they should investigate whether an offence of misconduct in public office may have taken place, but they have stated that they feel there are insufficient grounds to conduct a full criminal investigation. Given what information is in the public domain, I feel the MPS has not fully justified its decision. I wrote to you yesterday requesting that you seek a full explanation from the MPS as to why it has chosen not to pursue this case.
Mr Mayor, can I ask you to request these details from the MPS with regards to this matter? Also, I look forward to hearing back from you in due course.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, can I just be quite clear in my answer. I will be very careful of what I say, for reasons that are obvious. In a previous answer I talked about the importance of making sure there are proper checks and balances with the police. I think it would be improper for a politician to exert any pressure on the police when it comes to operational decisions. I have not seen the letter yet from Assembly Member Desai, and I will just answer in a hypothetical scenario. I have been quite clear in my role as the Mayor. I know the previous Mayor was criticised for being seen to interfere in how the police operate. I am keen to make sure that I do not interfere, and I take my responsibilities really seriously. Let me see the letter, because I do not want to be unfair to the Assembly Member. He simply asked me to look into it, so let me see the letter, Chair, and then I will respond in due course to the letter.

Unmesh Desai: Sure. Mr Mayor, can I put on record that I am not asking you to put pressure on the police or interfere in any way? We need to know from the police why they are not pursuing this investigation. Whom have they interviewed? Have they asked for the correspondence that Tower Hamlets Council has asked for and has been withheld by the Government? They could explain the reasoning behind their decision not to pursue this matter further. Lord[Andrew]Adonis has been sent a similar dismissive response. All I am asking you to do is to look at and consider my email and ask questions of the police. I am not saying that you should put any sort of pressure on them, not at all. Thank you, Mr Mayor, I will leave it at that. Thank you, Chair.

Support for Increased Cycling in London

Joanne McCartney: If more Londoners cycle this will reduce numbers on public transport and in motor vehicles, thereby supporting London’s recovery from COVID-19. What further plans and support are needed to ensure that more Londoners cycle and that cycling is as safe as possible in London?

Sadiq Khan: Our Streetspace plan is transforming hundreds of kilometres of streets across London to enable millions more journeys to be made by bike. TfL’s modelling suggests that we need to accommodate a possible tenfold increase in cycling as lockdown restrictions are eased. We have already built new segregated cycle lanes on Park Lane and upgraded sections of the previously unsegregated Cycle Superhighway8. We have restarted construction work on Cycleways4 and 9 and we will complete them as fast as possible by making use of temporary materials. Work has started on Hampstead Road and we will start soon to upgrade Cycle Superhighway7 and build new routes between Hackney, the Isle of Dogs and Dalston and Newbridge.
Working with the boroughs, we have already begun allocating funding from the Government’s emergency funding and are seeing changes on the ground, including a key road closure in Hounslow on Cycleway9, Lambeth’s first low traffic neighbourhood in Herne Hill and protected space for cycling on Uxbridge Road in Ealing and on the A10 in Enfield. We have got £55million in the first six months of the funding agreement with the Government. This is going to deliver change at an unprecedented rate on our streets. If we are to continue the current pace of change and succeed in preventing a car-based recovery, we need support in two key areas. First, we need to be working with all of the boroughs, not just a coalition of the willing who have already started taking action, but those councils who in the past have been anti-cycling and anti-walking. We need you to work with us. Second, we need continued financial support from the Government. The funding to cover the first six months of our Streetspace plan is welcome, but is nowhere near enough to enable the scale of change we need to see right across our city.

Joanne McCartney: Thank you, MrMayor. Currently, because of the COVID-19 crisis, TfL is not undertaking any cycle training, but Cycling UK has recently said that new guidelines mean it would be possible to provide cycle training in groups of up to six outdoors and still maintain social distancing. Is that TfL’s understanding? If so, will it be starting cycle training shortly?

Sadiq Khan: That is correct. That is our understanding and hopefully it will begin shortly, I am told maybe as soon as later on this month.

Joanne McCartney: Thank you. You have also been on record as stating there could be a possible tenfold increase in cycling as lockdown restrictions are eased. Obviously cycle training is going to be vitally important because we will have many new cyclists on the road and they need to be safe. What plans do you have to extend cycle training and ‘bikeability’ training more widely to cater for those new cyclists?

Sadiq Khan: One of the things that the Walking and Cycling Commissioner will do with HeidiAlexander, the Deputy Mayor, is negotiate with the Government to enable us to have access to some of the funding we need for cycle training. It is really important, particularly for adult cyclists who are cycling for the first time or returning to cycling. We are working on some face-to-face training, supplemented by virtual training as well, so modules. We are hoping to have agreement from the Government to have some funding for the cycle training as soon as possible.

Joanne McCartney: Thank you for that, because I have noticed that cycle training had been allocated for areas outside London, but not for London itself. The deal that you have had to sign with Government to get TfL through this interim period mentions £55million for active travel. Do you yet know how much of that you can devote to cycle training?

Sadiq Khan: Some of the negotiations, as we all know, with the Government is to, as you said, get some of tools on cycle training. The figure we say we need to really make a difference is £4million, so we would be hoping that £4million of money could be allocated to this really important area of cycle training. I am quite keen, as you know. I have supported this area in the past and there was a pause, for obvious reasons, and so I am hoping that we can spend the £4 million on this area as soon as possible.

Joanne McCartney: Thank you, that is really helpful to know and I will pass that on to the many cycle trainers who have been lobbying me - and I am assuming other Assembly Members - on this issue. Thank you.

Sadiq Khan: Me too.

Road pricing in London

Siân Berry: Is it now time for you to develop smart, fair, privacy-friendly road pricing for London?

Sadiq Khan: My Transport Strategy states that TfL will keep existing and planned road user charging schemes under review, including the Congestion Charge (C-Charge), Low Emission Zone (LEZ) and Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), and that is what we are doing.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, TfL has reviewed the C-Charge, LEZ and ULEZ. On 20March [2020], TfL decided to suspend the operation of all three road usage charging schemes with effect from 23March. This decision was made to facilitate the movement of London’s critical workers and freight vehicles. After seven weeks of suspension, the C-Charge, LEZ and ULEZ were reinstated on 18May as a result of an immediate condition imposed by the Government as part of its funding deal.
My wider approach to paying for road use is set out in my Transport Strategy. TfL continues to investigate whether there are ways to better reflect distance driven, emissions, time and road danger in a smart and fair system. New technologies could offer the potential for more sophisticated models of paying for road use in the longer term, but any future proposals would need to be preceded by detailed feasibility work and subject to consultation.
The crisis has shown clearly that we need to have flexibility in the system. I have made changes to the C-Charge in response to the changing circumstances, suspending it during the height of lockdown to support critical workers and then reinstating as a demand by the Government. We have now made several changes to avoid gridlock and support the extra road space needed for walking, cycling and using public transport while maintaining social distancing and these changes will be kept under review.
Beyond these changes, my priority for TfL at this point is to continue to deliver the expansion of the ULEZ. Londoners deserve clean air at all times, not just temporarily during lockdown, and I am not prepared to replace one public health crisis with another arising from a car-based recovery.

Siân Berry: Thank you, MrMayor. There have always been good reasons of fairness for why we should get more revenue from drivers and less from farepayers. The C-Charge itself is now old enough to drive and has long needed to be replaced by something smarter. The crisis situation now means that we have no choice but to make TfL’s revenue more diverse and more resilient. It is now well past time to turn that long-term investigation and that long-term promise to look at road pricing at some point into action now.
I would remind you that way back in January2017 Assembly Member [Caroline]Pidgeon[MBE] and my Green colleague, Assembly Member [Caroline]Russell, put forward a budget amendment proposing a study of options for road charging. Last year, the Centre for London’s report, Green Light, which is very good, already did a lot of the technical heavy lifting.
You have to admit, MrMayor. It is well overdue for you to start having that honest, open conversation with Londoners about this. They will have questions about smart road pricing, about fairness, about privacy and about the benefits.
Is now the right time to be finally having that debate and start involving citizens in discussing this?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, the Member referred to honesty and admissions. I hope she would be honest and admit that a number of people predicted that we would not be able to get the ULEZ, the world’s first, off the ground in April2019, and we did so without any hiccups. The world’s first ULEZ has led to huge improvements in the quality of air in London. Nitrogen oxide is down. Carbon emissions are down.
At the same time, we are now trying to make sure we can roll the ULEZ out to all of London for freight, coaches and buses in 2020 and up to the North Circular and South Circular by October2021. It is not a done deal that we will be able to do that and I think this‑‑

Siân Berry: MrMayor, I am really sorry but you have gone completely off the topic of smart road charging here. You are listing things you have done, not what you are going to do.

Sadiq Khan: No, we have not, but that is the point. We have not rolled out the ULEZ to the rest of London, which is a massive feat. There is a huge amount of technology that still has to be done in relation to this and there is no guarantee it will be as successful as the C-Charge area was. Our focus is making sure we get that right‑‑

Siân Berry: MrMayor, I am really sorry. I do not have as much time as usual in this session. It is clear you have not answered my question about road pricing and having this debate with Londoners. I am really sorry that you do not have a plan but I am going to have to cut this short now. I am really sorry. Thank you very much. We will come back to this another time.

Community Policing as Lockdown Measures Ease

Florence Eshalomi MP: The Met Police’s use of stop and search has dramatically increased during the lockdown. Stop and search is a contentious method of policing as people from BAME backgrounds are more likely to be stopped. Members of the BAME community have felt that during this lockdown that the Police have been especially overzealous. What is being done to ensure that Police Officers are being reasonable and measured in their approach?

Sadiq Khan: I know from personal experience the negative impact the widespread use of stop and search can have. Done badly, it can make it much harder to tackle crime by pitting communities against the police and by discouraging key witnesses from reporting crime, but since I have been Mayor we have been working with the police to end the very worst practices of stop and search.
As part of this, we have rolled out body-worn video, which has been a game-changer, by giving both the police and communities more confidence in their interactions. What we have found is that when it is done professionally, properly and with evidence, intelligence-led stop and search can be effective in taking drugs and weapons off our streets, but I agree that it is concerning that negative experiences of the use of stop and search in London within BAME communities seems to have got worse during the coronavirus epidemic.
I remain in close contact with community groups and my Deputy Mayors and I readily hear first-hand the serious concerns and strength of feeling around the issues impacting black communities and their interactions with the police. My view is that our police officers need to have confidence in the use of their powers as they tackle criminality and violence, but any use of stop and search or use of force must be proportionate and accountable.
The MPS agree with me when I say more needs to be done to improve relations between the police and Londoners, particularly black communities, so that they feel protected and served. That is why I have commissioned my Deputy Mayors for police and the communities to work with the police and communities to draw up an action plan for improving confidence, transparency and accountability. We are working closely with the MPS to ensure a zero-tolerance approach to racism and discrimination and to ensure its workforce is truly representative of our city and of all the communities it is here to serve. I want to thank, Chair, through you, AssemblyMemberEshalomi [MP] for her continued work in this area in the community, in the Assembly and in Parliament.

Florence Eshalomi AM MP: Thank you, MrMayor, and it is good to see that there will be an action plan addressing this really important issue.
I just wanted to ask in relation to the stop and search, over the last 12months, Westminster, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Lambeth - in that order - were the boroughs with the highest stop and search. In the last three months during the lockdown, Lambeth had the highest number of stop and searches of any London borough, over 5,500 stop and searches. What are the police doing to work with young people? Obviously we have seen a number of young people - they have been in lockdown, they have been at home over the last few months - and just to make sure that they have that good community relationship with our young people as we enter the summer months.

Sadiq Khan: This is a really important issue. Can I just explain why it is so important? It is an important issue not just for the black community, but if one part of our community lacks confidence in the police, it means they are not going to come forward and report crime, they are not going to come forward and be witnesses, they are not going to want to join the police service, so all of us suffer from a lack of trust and confidence between the police and the black community.
The police are doing a number of things to address the very issue that you are so concerned about, as indeed I am, from work around the Divert and Engage programmes, which we fund. The Diversion Directory they are working on to divert people away, but also working with organisations that work with young people. It has been a challenge because of the lockdown, so they have had to use social media more so than before, WhatsApp and other groups as well. We also have dedicated officers that work with young people to engage them at a critical time, the so-called teachable or reachable moment. We are really keen to make sure young people, young black people in particular, have a positive experience with the police, but also the police have a positive experience of young black people as well.

Florence Eshalomi AM MP: Thank you, MrMayor. One of the things you mentioned after the protests was around plans being drawn up to look at the police and, in addition to stop and search, the use of tasers with the BAME community. How do the plans that you have outlined address this? This is an issue growing with some communities in London.

Sadiq Khan: You are absolutely right. Firstly, I understand the concerns. It is basically all use of police powers, where there is a concern, where there is discretion that it could be applied just wilfully, from stop and search, to arrest, to use of a taser, to use of reasonable force, these sorts of issues. The key question is who polices the police and what are the checks and balances? How can we have confidence, bearing in mind the police have powers than you and I do not have, that they use them in a fair way? How do we make sure that people’s inherent prejudices - we all have prejudices - do not demonstrate themselves in the job they do, bearing in mind the powers the police have? We are doing a number of things above what we have already been doing to make sure we can have that proper scrutiny. You will be aware, because you have a big role in relation to advocacy in the community monitoring groups, in relation to the work taking place across our city to make sure there are the proper checks and balances.
On top of that, we are doing some work to address the issue and concerns around trust and confidence, around accountability and around scrutiny. That is part of the action plan that Debbie[Weekes-Bernard] and Sophie[Linden], my Deputy Mayors, are working on in this area. Look, we cannot escape the fact that lots of black Londoners are concerned. We cannot pretend they are not concerned because they are concerned and they are genuinely concerned. They are being responsible and saying to us, “We are concerned”. They have told us they are concerned. We cannot ignore them; we have to address their concerns. That is why the work that Debbie[Weekes-Bernard] and Sophie[Linden] are doing is listening to their concerns and working with the police to address their concerns.
I tell you this: I have had interactions with many Commissioners in the past, and just to reassure you this Commissioner and her team understand the sensitivities of the black community and want to address these concerns.

Florence Eshalomi AM MP: Thank you, MrMayor. That is reassuring to hear.

Finances of London

Len Duvall: What does the economic downturn mean for the finances of the GLA and functional bodies?

Len Duvall: Thank you very much, Chair. Shall I move straight into asking questions, because I think the Mayor has given a preliminary answer in previous questions, both on transport and on the general budget issues?

Navin Shah: Sure.

Len Duvall: If I can begin, MrMayor, let us go back to the budget guidance issue. Priorities of yesterday, are they the priorities of today? If we thought the challenges of COVID-19 are challenging, do we think that with the economic downturn against the European Union (EU) situation and trade wars going around the world, uncertainty is going to be the most challenging economic downturn we have faced, probably more so than the international crisis? Are you in a position to say how much of the cuts that we are proposing to make will be for new areas of work or re-prioritising your agenda within the GLA? I get this: I will talk about priorities, about what we need to protect. I am trying to think about what the challenges are we are likely to face and where we did not have plans pre-COVID-19 that we think we might be spending more time on.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, can I just say this is a really important issue. It is profound and it goes towards the future of our city because what the Assembly Member has reminded all of us is what a game-changer COVID-19 is, but on top of that we have the other uncertainties we have discussed in previous MQTs. The short answer, Assembly MemberDuvall, let me tell you the additional issues we have to now in bear in mind. What will be the speed of economic recovery of our city? You know that the speed of economic recovery has a direct impact on a whole host of issues, not least council tax, business rates revenues, but other issues as well.
The second issue is the impact on London’s businesses and council taxpayers. What levels of unemployment could there be? My fear is - and I read a lot of reports from economists and others - we could have unemployment levels not seen since the 1980s, not seen since a generation. You will know the impact that has, but also we have to be mindful we are affected by decisions made by Government in relation to what support it gives us, not just paying the bill for COVID-19, but how it ameliorates the monies lost through business rates and council tax, but also the reality is whether we like it or not - and I know some Members of the Assembly think it is a good thing - we will have a hard Brexit. There is a possibility, I hope very distinct, of there being no deal, but we cannot disaggregate the impact of Brexit on potential transition and recovery and our future going forward. You have seen the reports this week, AssemblyMemberDuvall, of one in six jobs in culture being lost. When you bear in mind one in six jobs in London are in this area and they contribute £52billion, you can imagine the impact that is going to have. You are absolutely right to raise these questions.
That is one of the reasons why I know the Chair of the Budget and Performance Committee is understandably - and she is right to be - frustrated by the lack of information. It moves on a day-to-day basis because of the modelling you have to do and the different permutations, but I will make sure I will share with the Budget and Performance Committee as soon as I can some of this stuff, because you are right, you need to know what sort of assessments we have made and the different calculations we are making. Just so you know, there are two things that are coming around the corner which affect us. The Government has indicated in July it will bring some sort of fiscal statement, not quite a budget but a fiscal statement. That could have an impact in relation to us. Also we are told there could be a skills recovery fund in the next week or so. That has an impact on pivoting on new jobs, bearing in mind there could be mass unemployment. That is why it is quite complicated and you are right to remind us of the complications here.

Len Duvall: In terms of the budget advice, which is probably the most crucial one for not just this year and for the following year budget, but for beyond, I have been critical of various bits of paper produced by the GLA in your name which you sign up to, where I do not think we are painting enough pictures in describing some of the good work that is done within this organisation. It is too much just tables of figures and actually not an explanation of what those tables and figures deliver back into the communities of London or into services. Will we be working harder to paint those pictures in the future?
Lastly on this set of questions I have, look, I know there is a crisis. Do not get me wrong when I say this, but how are we flexibly going to be coping with not cutting too much too fast in the sense of, what do we have to do this year, next year or the year beyond in terms of some of the redistribution that might need to take place in certain areas? How flexible do you think your system is that you are going to have to propose to us in terms of doing that, that we are making any reductions at the right time and any of the investments at the right time?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you, Chair. I take the constructive criticism in the spirit intended. That is 20 years of experience with the Assembly from Assembly MemberDuvall. I think you are right, we could do a better job in painting a better picture of some of the things that we do from City Hall and that includes the Assembly. For example, how many Londoners know of the work of TravelWatch that the Assembly helps fund? We need to do a better job at explaining some of the services we provide; you are right.
One of the reasons why I am keen and my Chief of Staff, David Bellamy, and the CFO, DavidGallie, are keen to publish the budget guidance as soon as possible is to give various departments in City Hall, including the functional bodies like the MPS and LFB, development corporations and others an opportunity to probably explain why they should not be facing cuts going forward, bearing in mind the way you talked about in relation to austerity. The point has got to be keeping them in the safe, clearly, but we do not want to inadvertently cut off our nose to spite our face in relation to what makes London so special, what is our unique selling point (USP), because that could lead to investments being spent elsewhere by businesses rather than in London because we are not as attractive going forward.
I am cognisant of what you said. I will make sure I reflect on what you have said and I will make sure that our team reflects upon some of the issues you have sent up, but also you are aware you can always offline speak to our team to make sure we do a better job of addressing some of your constructive criticism about how we can raise our game.

Len Duvall: MrMayor, thank you for that. I am constantly wishing to speak to anyone who has an earhole about some of my views on budgeting and I have been doing it openly and privately for some time.
Can we now turn to priorities? Look, I am very grateful that you have earlier clarified the position on policing because it is very important, policing investment in our capital, but also policing on the other side, some of that soft ‑‑ it is not softer side, some of that community infrastructure that maintains the fabric of our society. I get from the press release that fire is also a priority. I also see the name check around investment in skills. Are you going to be able to clarify in the coming months what else you think is the front line, the protection of the front line, and how are you going to prioritise the questions that I intimated earlier about when you need to change direction or maybe put more emphasis back into one particular service against the priority of another particular service? These are difficult choices politicians have to make and I sadly think that we are going to be forced into making some very tough choices in the future. What can you say about what that front line looks like for you?

Sadiq Khan: A lot of this is contingent upon what deal we get from the Government in relation to the MPS settlement for 2021/22 and other settlements from the Government, but also what the councils and the City of London Corporation tell us in relation to how much money they have recouped in relation to council tax and business rates, bearing in mind the concerns they have got because of COVID-19. One of the reasons why I am keen to publish the budget guidance as soon as possible is to begin this conversation. I am keen to hear from Assembly Members and Londoners about your question about priorities. Clearly, safety is a priority, but you remember from the exchange we have had about prevention as well as cure.
You mentioned our society is also the fabric in relation to fighting crime. We do not want to inadvertently cut issues that stop the causes of the crime being addressed by just focusing on the contents of crime. Those are some of the conversations we are going to have, and you will be aware from the last four years that I have invested in, for example, the Young Londoners Fund; I have invested in the Violence Reduction Unit; I have invested in young people, but also invested in job creation. We have got devolution of the education budget. I am aware from speaking to business leaders that they are now consulting on redundancies. If jobs are going to be lost, I think we should be as soon as possible retraining them into future-proofed jobs, but also green jobs going forward. Those are some of the conversations we are having, but I will begin a dialogue not just with the Assembly, but with other Londoners and stakeholders as well.

Len Duvall: Thank you.

Travelling safely in London during the Covid-19 pandemic

Caroline Pidgeon: Is every step being taken to support changed travel patterns to maximise social distancing on public transport?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, since the start of the lockdown we have launched a massive communications campaign to reduce demand for public transport. This has included posters on the TfL estate and using adverts on the radio and in the press. TfL has now sent 60million emails to passengers telling them not to travel unless it is essential and providing other travel advice. We are providing advice to all sectors, businesses, retailers and schools and we are planning another campaign aimed at the hospitality sector. So far TfL has contacted thousands of private companies and is advising the boroughs around 3,000 schools.
We have led by example at our construction sites, bringing them to a safe stop in March, with work sites now beginning a phased restart. We are putting in place staggered shifts and break times to spread journeys outside peak times.
The effective transport capacity is severely constrained if people are to be able to socially distance. Our Streetspace plan is helping to protect public transport capacity by giving more people in the option to walk and cycle safely for whole journeys or parts of journeys. We have already delivered more than 15,000 square metres of new space for walking and cycling. Santander Cycles have seen incredible demand and the scheme has broken several records in recent weeks, with over 1.1million hires in May. I am pleased that the free hire scheme for NHS staff, carers and police staff has been well used, accounting for more than 30,000 journeys. To keep up with the high demand, 14 new docking stations will be created and more than 1,700 new bikes will be made available.
You will be aware that the Government has required us to restrict free travel for older people before 9.00am, which will encourage those people to travel outside peak times where possible. There are lots of changes to how the bus and Tube networks operate. We have deployed the British Transport Police (BTP) and stewards at the busiest interchanges to encourage social distancing and we activate queuing systems if required. Recently we have put in place a limit on the number of customers on board buses at any one time.

Caroline Pidgeon: Thank you very much indeed for your answer, MrMayor. If we are to ensure social distancing is maintained while more people are starting to travel again, we really must look at all transport capacity to make sure it is all used and be imaginative. I have a few suggestions for you this morning.
Pre-COVID Stratford Station was incredibly crowded, yet there is significant spare capacity at the nearby Stratford International Station. That station could help relieve the situation and offer significant relief to Stratford Regional Station. It is only six minutes from central London, yet the current fare pricing deters many people from using this station.
I am wondering what discussions you are having with Southeastern and also the DfT to change this and to allow more passengers to use this route?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, can I first of all put this on the record: the AssemblyMember has been really constructive over the last 14 weeks, helping the Deputy Mayor and TfL with advice like this.
Can I be honest: I do not have the answer. Can I take this away? I promise to write to her or Heidi[Alexander, Deputy Mayor for Transport] will. I am not sure of the answer and I do not want to mislead inadvertently the AssemblyMember. I will write back to you.

Caroline Pidgeon: Thank you very much. It is an issue here around the pricing‑‑

Sadiq Khan: I get the point, AssemblyMember. It is a sound point. Can I look into it?

Caroline Pidgeon: It is a way we could add capacity. Another area where you could make a change very quickly - and you could do this - is by putting Thameslink on the Tube map. Thameslink is fully accessible for disabled people. It is an incredibly frequent Tube-like service through the centre of London. It could provide an alternative route for many people, reducing pressure particularly on things like the Northern line. This was a recommendation that came from the Transport Committee recently. Will you look to put Thameslink on the Tube map?

Sadiq Khan: On that one, Chair, the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which Heidi sits on, meetings on a weekly basis and sometimes more than once a week. What I can do is make sure that the Deputy Mayor puts this on the next agenda as an item with the RDG because that will be the place to co-ordinate this happening.

Caroline Pidgeon: Lots of Londoners do not know about it. It is this hidden gem, virtually a Tube line, as I say, through the centre of London and it is fully accessible. People with mobility issues really welcome being able to travel like anyone else and there is also space on those Thameslink lines. I hope you can take that forward, but you could make that decision and put that line on the map. Will you do that?

Sadiq Khan: We will discuss it at the RDG. I am not sure it is quite as straightforward as that. We will speak to the DfT on the RDG to see if we can take this forward.

Caroline Pidgeon: Thank you very much. Finally, last month I raised the issue of flexible fares and especially early-bird fares. They could make a real difference in spreading demand, especially in that early morning peak. Last month when I asked you about this, you specifically said that this was a change “we are exploring”. I am wondering what progress you have made on that.

Sadiq Khan: Thank you for the question. We are exploring this. You will be aware that we are still in negotiations with the DfT about the next phase of the deal we have made with the Government. You are aware that they have tied our hands with fares and with a number of issues. The current Conservative candidate for the mayoral contest and I had an exchange about fares earlier on during MQT. The DfT is seeking to tie our hands and Number 10 and so this is one of things we will be discussing with them.
You will be aware there currently are off-peak fares, but they do not include what you are referring to, which is pre-rush hour. You will be well aware because you have raised this before that actually it is the cleaners and the poorer Londoners who tend to do the pre-rush hour stuff before 5.45am. Again, one of the things we will be discussing with the DfT when it comes to fares going forward will be this issue.

Caroline Pidgeon: With September coming up, we will see a shift of a lot more people going back to work. Having that in place could really help spread the rush hour. Thank you very much, MrMayor.

Under 18s Travel Concession

Jennette Arnold: What is the impact of the Government’s decision to remove the under 18s travel concession for Londoners?

Sadiq Khan: If Government Ministers continue to insist on the removal of free travel for children and young people in London, families and young people across the city will feel the impact. Life will be made harder for low-income Londoners and extra uncertainty and worry will be forced on millions of people.
There are nearly 2million children and young people under the age of 18 in London. Nearly 60% are from BAME communities. We should not be removing the free travel from them.
I have repeatedly made my views clear to the Government. I have asked it to drop this condition from the TfL funding deal and to work with us on finding other ways to encourage more children to walk and cycle to school. This condition was crowbarred into the TfL funding agreement at the 11th hour along with a number of other deeply political conditions.
Not only is this harsh and unfair but, as we said at the time, this was a massively complicated thing to do and we have been proved right. Any system for working out who is eligible for free school travel and who is not will be complicated and will involve inevitable delays. Staff in councils and schools who are busy trying to work out how to adjust classrooms and playgrounds to the new normal will be asked to get involved in assessing which children should get a free bus pass and which should not. The children who most need to return to education will face the biggest barriers in accessing it. Any 17- and 18-year-olds who may have chosen colleges in different boroughs will potentially face paying multiple adult fares every day.
I have told the Government that if it is intent upon doing this, it needs to set the rules. I am not going to do its dirty work for it. I will continue to do what I can to ensure children and young people across London continue to benefit from free travel.

Jennette Arnold: Thank you, MrMayor, for that complete response. As you say, taking away this concession will disproportionately BAME families and low-income families in huge areas of London. We will have parents having to take the car out again, which will undermine all the excellent work that has been done in terms of School Streets.
Were these costs and inequalities realised by the Government when it imposed this condition? Are you able to say whether an equality impact assessment (EqIA) was carried out by the Government?

Sadiq Khan: No, Chair. In the two days before the deadline to have the deal agreed - and we were negotiating for six weeks - that was when the Number 10 adviser crowbarred these conditions in. They were never mentioned before by the Department for Transport (DfT) or the Treasury.
Clearly, no EqIA was done. Clearly, there was no awareness - or, if there was, it was ignored - of the impact it would have on poorer families. You will be aware from your knowledge as a Londoner that a large number of these families are BAME. The Government cannot on the one hand say it is serious about addressing disproportionality in society and then introduce a fare that will have a disproportionate impact on BAME community members.

Jennette Arnold: MrMayor, it would follow then, it seems to me, that if an EqIA is a requirement to be undertaken by policy, this is the Government’s own inquiry and it has not done that assessment, then surely you will have to do it and then feed that back to the Government. If you actually show what the mitigations are, the mitigations are not to implement the cuts to the concessions.

Sadiq Khan: You have articulated far better than I have the challenges. There is the fact that it is harsh and unfair. It has a disproportionate impact on not just poorer families, but poorer families tend to be BAME and more than 60% of under-16s are BAME.
Also, it is really hard to do. Just think about it. Where do you draw the line? Under-fives? Under-11s? Under-16s? Those with special educational needs? Those who live more than two miles away? Those who go to faith schools? Those who are in receipt of the working tax credit? Those who receive free school meals? It is a technical nightmare to do.
That is why I said to the Government, “If you are so insistent on doing it, you tell me how we are going to do this”. I know the Conservative Group on the Assembly are notable by their silence about what is arguably the most important social justice issue for these families over the course of the next few days, weeks and months.

Jennette Arnold: MrMayor, thank you. I was party to arguing this with the first administration because we absolutely then needed to deal with this injustice.
What I do not understand - and perhaps you can help me - is BorisJohnson [MP, Prime Minister] when he was the Mayor retained these concessions. Why is he now okaying the removal of them? Is this just playing politics? Does he understand the impact that this is going to have on BAME Londoners’ education? The other day he was talking about the importance of education as the key passport for success in the future.

Sadiq Khan: It gets worse than that because, as you will know, in London many children do not go to a school that is in walking distance. They go to a school that they need to get to by using public transport often because we discourage mum, dad or the carer from driving them to school. Many choose colleges that are not the nearest to their home. That is how London works. It is very different from the rest of the country.
There is one of two conclusions that we can draw. Either the Prime Minister knows this has a disproportionate impact on BAME children and has still chosen to go ahead and do it, which speaks volumes, or he does not really care about this, is ignorant of this and has not looked into this, which in itself draws a number of conclusions and begs a number of questions. Either of those two scenarios impels me to believe that this Prime Minister does not really care about a return to education and also does not really care about addressing the issue of inequality that still exists in our city in 2020.

Jennette Arnold: Thank you, MrMayor.

Overcrowded Housing and Covid-19

Andrew Boff: How are you taking steps to protect Londoners who are disproportionately affected by Covid-19 as a result of living in overcrowded housing?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you, Chair. COVID-19 has highlighted some of the consequences of London’s housing crisis, which has been decades in the making. Too many Londoners are having to live in unsuitable and overcrowded homes, with many now facing an increased risk of homelessness due to the economic impact of the coronavirus. Many of the homes that are overcrowded are privately rented. While I have no formal powers in this area, I am doing everything I can to improve standards for renters. Our Better Renting programme aims to increase the capacity of local authority enforcement teams to help them to tack poor conditions in the private rented sector, including overcrowding. Whilst this will go some way to supporting those living in overcrowded substandard accommodation, much more could be done to address overcrowding in the private rented sector through property licensing. However, to enable local authorities to use these powers effectively, it is vital that the Government ensure they are properly resourced.
The highest rates of overcrowding are in the social housing sector, a consequence of years of much-needed social rented homes being lost, with homes sold through Right to Buy and not replaced, as well as a chronic lack of funding from the Government to build the new socially rented housing that London desperately needs. We have been working to turn things around in London and we are now delivering record numbers of social rented and other genuine affordable homes, with over 17,000 homes started in the last year, the highest since records began. This includes over 7,000 homes at social rent levels, more in one year than the entirety of the previous Mayor’s second term. My London Plan aims to ensure that any new social housing helps stem overcrowding. For the first time, we are requiring boroughs to set out the size mix of social housing needed in their areas.
While the progress we have made will enable more householders to access a home they can afford, the reality is that a significant increase in funding from central Government is needed to deliver the homes London needs.

Andrew Boff: Insight Housing has shown a clear link between hotspots of COVID-19 deaths and overcrowding. Will you review your housing and planning programmes in that light?

Sadiq Khan: Firstly, you are right, there is clearly a link between overcrowded housing, poverty, deprived communities, ethnicity, underlying health conditions and the disproportionate number of deaths in BAME from COVID-19. As far as the London Plan and the Housing Strategy is concerned, we are quite clear in relation to actually being ahead of the curve in relation to addressing some of the concerns there are - for example, minimum space requirements, design quality - making sure we address some of the issues in relation to poor quality homes that you are talking about.

Andrew Boff: MrMayor, thank you for describing the current plan and I appreciate that, but I want to know whether or not you will review your housing and planning programmes in the light of our experience of the past few months.

Sadiq Khan: The current London Plan, as you know, is with MHCLG. We are in negotiations with the MHCLG in relation to the London Plan. We have‑‑

Andrew Boff: Is that you will review or you will not review?

Sadiq Khan: The point I was making when you interrupted my first answer was we do not think there is a reason to make any changes to the London Plan because we are ahead of the curve because we have already addressed some of the concerns there were in the previous London Plan that led to the issues that you are talking about.

Andrew Boff: You will not review the planning and housing programmes, despite the experiences of people living in overcrowded conditions over the past few months, and you are on the record for saying that.

Sadiq Khan: I think what you are missing is what the evidence from PHE and others is, which is what the explanations are for the high levels of deaths among BAME people across the country. It is the issue of not just ethnicity. Some of the work they do, some of the jobs they are in; they are poor families; they live in deprived communities; the fact that they are on zero-hours contracts, many of them; they have underlying health conditions. Very few of those things are addressed by a London Plan or a Housing Strategy. Yes, the issue of overcrowding housing is, which is why we are seeking to address that in relation to the Housing Strategy by having far more council homes, far more socially rented homes and far more genuine affordable homes, which is one of the best ways to address the issue of overcrowding. We are not seeking to change those in the London Plan or the Housing Strategy.

Andrew Boff: MrMayor, there are many people watching here from ethnic minorities who have suffered very badly as a result of this virus with these conditions. Actually, I am surprised that you are unwilling to review‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Many of them are the legacies of the previous Mayor’s housing policies. For example, we began more socially rented homes last year, 7,000, than the previous Mayor’s entire term. You will know, for example, we began more council homes last year than any year since 1984.

Andrew Boff: You are electioneering. I understand you want to do that.

Sadiq Khan: You will also be aware that last year we began more genuine affordable homes than any year since records began, so we are addressing --

Andrew Boff: The fact of the matter is you will not be reviewing your housing and planning plan. Thank you very much. The fact of the matter is that despite these experiences, you are not reviewing your housing plans.

Sadiq Khan: I am really confident that we are addressing those issues. We can do far more with more Government support. I am hoping you will help me lobby the Government for more financial support for more genuine affordable homes.

Navin Shah: Can I please apologise, but AssemblyMemberBoff, you are out of time. Sorry, we will have to leave it there.

Andrew Boff: Thank you. It was well worth it though, was it not?

Homelessness and COVID-19

Murad Qureshi: Are you concerned that there may be a wave of evictions and homelessness in London as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when the emergency measures placed by the Government, come to an end, and what action can you take to support Londoners?

Sadiq Khan: There is a serious threat that many more Londoners will face homelessness over the coming months. As things stand, private renters may face eviction when the Government lifts its temporary ban. Those who have stayed with family or friends through lockdown may no longer be able to and victims of domestic abuse and their situations they have endured over the last few months and rough sleepers who spent lockdown in hotels will need accommodation. We must act now to spare these Londoners from homelessness and to prevent already stretched services being overrun. I am doing all I can to ensure Londoners who have benefited from recent special measures are not abandoned. Our Rough Sleeping Team is working with charities to get in place the accommodation and support needed for rough sleepers when they leave the hotels we have provided. This includes secure and social and private rented accommodation and supported housing and making sure people can access urgently needed immigration advice. We are also working with the police and with councils to tackle illegal evictions.

Murad Qureshi: Thank you, MrMayor, for the response. The Government has extended the eviction period by two months, but the announcement I want to focus on is the announcement that home owners, including landlords with buy-to-let mortgages, will still able to take mortgage holidays in the coming months, yet renters, those who may well be tenants of these landlords, do not get the same relief. Do you think it is right that someone who may have been laid off because of COVID or ill must keep up the payments on their homes as they are privately renting, but if they are owners, they do not have to?

Sadiq Khan: It is inequitable and unfair, particularly as those arrears will accrue. You mentioned one group. Also students are really worried because students are having to pay rent even though the landlord may be receiving the mortgage payment holiday you referred to, even though students are not returning to university because of COVID-19. There are a number of areas where the Government has really got to look at the unfairness built into the support it is giving.

Murad Qureshi: That is true. How can we actually help these households from falling behind in their rents and facing evictions? For example, in my home borough, the City of Westminster, a two-bed flat is about £1,000 more than the local housing allowance. Clearly something has got to give.

Sadiq Khan: What has happened - you are absolutely right - is the gap between the allowance tenants in your borough receive and the rent was often met with them working. Many of them now cannot work. Even if they are furloughed, there is a reduction in the sum they receive and those debts are accruing. We have made a number of asks from Government, what we call the triple-lock, firstly for it to increase the national cap on the local housing allowance. Secondly, for there to be no evictions as a consequence of arrears. The Government could meet the gap between the benefits received and the rent being paid to avoid that happening. Thirdly, we need to make sure there are no evictions either because of no-fault evictions or because of the so-called Section 8 notices because of arrears being built up. There are very simple things that the Government could do to allay the concerns of those residents of yours who are so anxious at the moment because they are worried, once the period ends in August, they could be facing eviction from their properties.

Murad Qureshi: Indeed, and you are right, and I am grateful for the triple-lock approach you are taking for the 3million private renters that we have in London. Let’s not forget social renters, who are also struggling during the crisis, and I am concerned that big housing associations may use rent arrears as a means of eviction. Would you agree that no social landlords should be evicting their tenants without giving the judges the proper basis on which to judge those cases, other than making them mandatory?

Sadiq Khan: Absolutely, particularly bearing in mind what the mission statement of registered social landlords is. It is very important they are not mandatory, and the judge can see what the circumstances were. It is really important.
Murad Qureshi AM: OK. Thank you very much.

Sadiq Khan: Cheers. Thank you.

Testing times

Onkar Sahota: How successful is the operation of the Government’s test, track and trace programme in London?

Sadiq Khan: This is a critical moment for our country as we enter the next phase of lifting the lockdown in response to COVID-19. I have been clear. We must have a robust test, trace, isolate and support (TTIS) system in place before easing lockdown restrictions further.
I am extremely concerned that one third of people who tested positive nationally could not be reached by the contact tracing system or refused to provide information about their contacts. The system must be straightforward so that every Londoner with symptoms can easily take a test and have their contacts quickly traced if they test positive. There should be no barriers or obstacles. It is vital that Londoners have confidence in the TTIS system so that they participate fully.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) advises that the Government’s objectives of the system should be to isolate as many contacts as possible as quickly as possible within 48 hours of symptoms starting. I am seeking assurances that the TTIS system is fully operational before easing lockdown measures further, including meeting turnaround times, reaching all contacts and gaining public confidence.
I have written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care [The Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP] raising my concerns. I have previously met with ProfessorJohnNewton [National Co-ordinator, Government testing programme] and Professor [Chris]Whitty [Chief Medical Officer for England] to ensure the specific needs of London are considered as part of the Government’s national system. I have weekly meetings with my statutory Health Advisor and Regional Director for Public Health England (PHE) London, Professor [Kevin]Fenton.
I am also calling on the Government to report key performance indicators to demonstrate the functioning of the TTIS system in London. Everyone who has been in contact with someone who has tested positive must isolate for 14 days. Only now is the Government asking boroughs to put systems in place to manage local outbreaks. London boroughs have already provided support for shielding high-risk groups and this needs to continue. It is vital that local government has the necessary powers and funding to deliver this crucial work. We cannot afford a second wave of this virus, which already has killed thousands, damaged our economy and created social implications that will take years to fix.

Onkar Sahota: Thank you, MrMayor, for that answer. Of course, as we are coming out of this lockdown, we also heard yesterday from the Evening Standard that the United Kingdom (UK) was the second worst country for preparation in the world of rich countries. Of course we know that the virus still exists here and we have seen upsurges of this now in Beijing and also in New Zealand. We need to be very mindful that we have a proper system in place.
Can you reassure Londoners that should there be a second spike - and there could very well be in the absence of an adequate testing and tracing system - we have the measures in place to address that issue?

Sadiq Khan: It is a really important question. I am concerned. I do not want to pretend otherwise. I am concerned because we have had example after example of promises being made by the Government that have been broken, from personal protective equipment (PPE), to testing capability, to TTIS, to the app. I could go on.
The good news is that it appears the numbers of people testing positive is going down and the good news is that the number of deaths is going down. Because of the herculean efforts of those in the National Health Service (NHS), the capacity in the NHS is good at the moment.
You will be aware that there are a number of other essential treatments that have been delayed because of the focus of you and the people in your profession on COVID-19. You will also be aware that TTIS is not fully operational. You will also be aware that yesterday the Government Minister said that the app may not be ready until winter. I am worried about a second wave and the impacts not just of further deaths but on our economy as well. We have to be vigilant.
I spoke to PHE on this yesterday and we are making sure we are doing what we can to make sure we do not have a second wave in our city, which would be just devastating for families who have already suffered hugely in the first wave.

Onkar Sahota: The other worry, of course, MrMayor, is that COVID-19 has shown the inequalities in society and also that the black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) community has been disproportionally affected by this. You know that it was like taking out a very painful tooth to extract from the Government the findings of the COVID report, which they hid for four weeks before they admitted to it.
Now that we do know that there is a racially discriminatory basis of the disproportionality, I am also concerned. What measures are we taking to protect our BAME communities, who we will be at the face of any spike or resurge we get? Do we have enough PPE? Are we taking special measures to protect the BAME community, who already have been shown to be at increased risk?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, it is a very important issue in relation to risk assessments for vulnerable staff. That includes BAME staff. That includes those with underlying health conditions and older people as well. You will be aware that in fact people of Bengali origin are four times more likely to die from COVID-19 than some other ethnic groups. That is a big concern, bearing in mind we have lots of Londoners of Bangladeshi origin.
It is really important that employers, as lockdown is eased, follow the advice from the Government in relation to risk assessments. I am really pleased the Government is giving more support to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) team. It is really important that they have that support. If any employer wants advice, please, it is really important that they get advice not just from PHE but from the HSE.
It is really important that no Londoner risks their own personal health by going back to work too soon. One of the things we have been lobbying for is to make sure, for example, it is equitable for those in low-paid jobs and zero-hours contracts and that they do not inadvertently return to work or carry on working because they are worried they cannot put food on the table if they take time off and self-isolate.

Onkar Sahota: Thank you, MrMayor, for that.

TfL's Capital Programme

Steve O'Connell: Can you offer reassurance to my constituents and other Londoners that TfL’s capital programme will not be defunded and that vital projects will still go ahead?

Sadiq Khan: The primary focus in TfL’s emergency budget, which is also necessitated because of the COVID crisis, is to minimise expenditure while we assess priorities for the longer term.
Following the safe stop at construction sites in late March, TfL is now restarting some projects. The focus is on schemes that are substantially complete or contractually committed. TfL has also prioritised projects that are safety or operationally critical, support social distancing, save money or are third-party funded. Opportunities to restart work on projects meeting these criteria continue to be reviewed across TfL’s capital delivery programme. Work has now resumed, for example, on the Bank Station capacity upgrade, the Northern line extension and the transformation of the Old Street roundabout.
There are safeguards in place with shifts staggered, new social distancing markers, one-way systems installed and workers returning to sites in phases. Design and other prep work on many projects have continued during the safe stop with staff and many of TfL’s contractors working from home.
However, TfL has seen an overall income loss of about 90% due to the pandemic. To ensure vital capital investment projects such as the Sutton Link in your own constituency are achievable, it is essential that an agreement with the Government is reached for long-term, steady and sustained funding. Even before the pandemic, TfL has had to manage the impact of an average cut of around £700million per year in the Government grant and was one of the only transport authorities in the world not to receive a direct operational grant for day-to-day running costs from the Government.
Since the removal of the Government grant, there has been no certainty of long-term funding, which has made planning extremely challenging. However, improvements through the capital programme are still being made against that backdrop. Like the rest of the UK, local authorities within London have generally been excluded from funding schemes. For example, 99.6% of London’s road network has received no sustained central Government funding for maintenance with just those managed by Highways England receiving funding. All the vehicle excise duty that Londoners pay is spent outside London by the Government.

Steve O’Connell: Thank you, MrMayor, for that answer. I fully understand particularly the exchange with Assembly Member Bailey about the financial issues that TfL and you face at the moment. I come at this from a constituency point of view, unashamedly, and of course your problem, MrMayor, is that you will be judged over your full term. My questions here are based around Croydon and Sutton and what you will have done for those boroughs over your term. They will judge you on the whole term.
My first question really is about two schemes particularly in those boroughs that are very important. One is the Five Ways interchange, which was visited by the Transport Committee, and also of course - and I make no apologies for returning to it - the Sutton Tram. MrMayor, are you saying therefore that those schemes are completely binned now under your mayoralty?

Sadiq Khan: You will be aware, Chair, it is really important that I am candid about the Sutton Link. The Sutton Link has always had an issue in relation to the funding gap, even before the pandemic. You will be aware that I continue to commit £79million to this. Merton Council is committing £10million and Sutton £26million. The project is going to cost between £400million and £600million and so there is already a big funding gap of circa £250million to £350million. Unless that gap could be met before the pandemic, the Sutton to Croydon Tram Link could not proceed and we were talking to the councils about how they could meet that funding gap. Clearly, unless the councils come up with a way of meeting that funding gap or a third party, that funding gap is an issue. Our commitment is still there and was still there before the pandemic.
In relation to other schemes, you mentioned Five Ways. We will be having another budget in July for TfL, Assembly Member O’Connell, and we will see what we can do in the July budget. You will be aware that in the negotiations with the Government, which we need to have for the second half of the budget, we will be explaining some of the reasons why some of these projects are so important. Some of these projects, you will be aware, will lead to recovery being swifter than it otherwise would be but also will lead to jobs being created because construction generally does lead to jobs being created.

Steve O’Connell: My question really around that - and I do understand the issues here - is about the fact that we talk about shovel-ready projects and I fear again that outer London and Croydon and Sutton will not be part of that.
I will ask you a further question. You are looking at Streetspace funding for the boroughs, and I know that my borough, Croydon, particularly has bid for £1.7million, and I hope that is successful. You mentioned the £70million commitment. Are you saying that the £250million growth pot is still in play for the coming year?

Sadiq Khan: That is one of the things we will be discussing with the Government going forward in the negotiations that take place and will have to be resolved before October. I certainly hope they are because, as the name says, it is for growth, and the Government wants growth, and growth in London benefits the rest of the country as well.

Steve O’Connell: My concluding comments and question, MrMayor, are that, as I say, next spring you will be campaigning in the Croydons and Suttons of London and it will be interesting what you will say to those residents in those boroughs about, after five years, what capital projects you will have delivered to those boroughs. At the moment, they will feel short-changed. I do hope you can try to pick that up in your last year, MrMayor.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I am really looking forward to revisiting Croydon and Sutton to talk about the fantastic new affordable housing schemes we have begun, the new council homes we have begun there, the extra police we have invested in Croydon and Sutton, the regeneration that will help in relation to Croydon town centre and also the arts. Fairfield Halls is amazing. There is a great council in Croydon doing great work and I am looking forward to going there again and again between now and May [2021] to ask them to lend me their vote again for a further four years of a Labour Mayor doing a great job for Croydon and Sutton.

Steve O’Connell: You will be asked at that time - and I take some of those points - what capital projects you have delivered and how you have improved the transport across those great boroughs. I sense, as I say and I will repeat, the residents will feel short-changed and judge accordingly. Thank you.

TfL Emergency Budget

Susan Hall: With the funding deal between the Government and TfL now in place, and TfL operating to their recently published emergency budget, how are you being kept informed as to their performance and progress against this?

Sadiq Khan: I am in constant contact with TfL about its performance and TfL’s financial condition. I have regular discussions with TfL’s leadership and my Deputy Mayor [for Transport] is hands-on in the day-to-day management of the organisation.
The effect of this pandemic has been huge and widespread across the country and London has been no exception. It presents unprecedented challenges for TfL. 80% of TfL’s operating budget comes from fares and other footfall-driven income. The considerable decline in travel has seen TfL’s income collapse.
As you know, I chair the TfL Board. At the last meeting on 2June [2020] we approved the emergency budget for this financial year and an interim review of TfL’s forecast financial position. We will be looking next month at a revised budget for 2020/21. This will also be considered alongside its year-to-date performance update.
TfL will continue to share detailed internal management reports periodically with me and my Deputy Mayor as it has always done. Performance reporting will also go to the DfT. TfL will also continue to report through the Board and its committees with reports and minutes being made publicly available.
Since I have been Mayor, TfL has had an excellent track record in terms of financial management. Were it not for COVID-19, TfL was on track to reduce its net deficit and had already reduced it by 71% since I became Mayor. Its cash balances over the last financial year were 16% higher than they were four years previously. We have done a lot to tackle waste and ensure TfL is operating as efficiently as possible. TfL has a key role to play in delivering London’s recovery. I have every confidence that it will rise to the many challenges that have arisen from coronavirus. I will be there to make sure that is the case.

Susan Hall: Thank you, MrMayor. You used the words “constant contact”, etc. Can you tell me just how often you find out or you look into the finances of TfL?

Sadiq Khan: I meet once a week with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and I get daily emails from the Commissioner [of TfL]. I speak to my Deputy Mayor [for Transport] four or five times a week and she speaks to the Commissioner and the CFO on an almost daily basis.

Susan Hall: You are right on top of that. With Crossrail in the background, one worries about your financial contact at the moment with TfL.
Is there anything that you could then send to the Budget and Performance Committee? Clearly, we are so far behind all the time. We want to make sure that we have constant access to the finances of TfL.

Sadiq Khan: I am really keen to make sure that you have what you need. For Crossrail, it is a bit different. Crossrail hoped to have a better idea - they told us by the end of June - in relation to the impact of COVID-19 on timelines and also on the money they will need. They still have a very much can-do attitude.
I will make sure after this meeting I drop a note to MarkWild [Chief Executive, Crossrail] and TonyMeggs [Chairman, Crossrail] to say that you would like any information - I am sure you would appreciate it could be in draft form - and numbers from them. The July TfL Board meeting should give us a better idea. I will make sure that as soon as SimonKilonback [CFO, TfL] has some numbers, he shares them with you as well.

Susan Hall: That is very helpful. Thank you. Can you tell me what the difference is between now since COVID to your interactions financially with them and before? Is it the same? Is it more? How is it now?

Sadiq Khan: It is more. Before COVID, I would meet face-to-face with the CFO once every two weeks. During COVID, there were times when it was daily. Now we have gone to once a week. In between the once a week, I will speak often to other members of the management team, AndyLord [Managing Director, London Underground, TfL] and GarethPowell [Managing Director, Surface Transport, TfL], more regularly. With SimonKilonback on average now it is once a week but sometimes it was once a day and sometimes more than once a day.

Susan Hall: That is good to hear. In the past, TfL has, whether it is fair or not, developed a reputation of being very wasteful, not just in terms of delays to projects and overruns but also things like nominee passes.
Have you given any instructions to tighten up these passes or any other directions to look at how expenditure is examined?

Sadiq Khan: The phrase I used in the 2016 campaign was that TfL is ‘flabby’, which goes to your point about inefficiencies and stuff. TfL is currently looking at all areas where it can save money but also increase revenue streams. There are two parts to the equation. One is to bring in more money and two is to make savings where we can. They will continue to do that.

Susan Hall: OK. I am very grateful for the information you are going to be sending to me, albeit in draft form. I do not mind as long as we can keep some eye on this. We do not want a Crossrail type of situation again. Thank you very much, Chair.

Cladding remediation

Andrew Dismore: The Government has yet again missed its deadline for cladding remediation, which was supposed to be this month. On current timelines, when do you predict remediation of ACM clad buildings to be complete in London?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you, Chair. On Sunday, like many Londoners, I reflected on the three years that have passed since the tragedy at Grenfell Tower. I commend the Grenfell community for their campaigning.
I commend the Grenfell community for their campaigning. They seek justice and accountability for the loss of their family, friends and neighbours. They rightly ask for people to live in safe homes. They are understandably frustrated with the pace of change and are fearful that a similar tragedy could happen again. Sadly, the Government’s track record on Grenfell is one of broken promises. After the tragedy, the then Prime Minister pledged to rehouse everyone in three weeks. Three years on, seven families are still living in temporary homes. Next the Government voted to implement a major reform of social housing, but we are still waiting for the Government’s response to the Social Housing Green Paper published almost two years ago.
Now, as you rightly highlight, the June2020 deadline for the remediation of all buildings with unsafe aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding has not been met. I was always clear the previous Secretary of State was wrong to set this target. It was unfounded and irresponsible. Cladding remediation is complex and a single block can typically take two years in total to remediate. The recent COVID-19 pandemic is causing further delays in fixing unsafe cladding.
Building owners are responsible for ensuring work is carried out at pace and my team is working daily with those that have applied for funding to hold them to account. It is simply unacceptable that these buildings are still unsafe three years on from Grenfell, but the truth is that Government should have intervened much earlier. For many private buildings, cash flows are a barrier to remediation, and the two years it took for Government to announce the funding is the primary cause of delay. The June2020 target was never going to be met, but the fact that it was set in the first place is evidence that the Government, still three years on, has not got to grips with the scale of the building safety crisis.

Andrew Dismore: Thank you for that comprehensive answer, MrMayor. As you say, last Sunday marked the third anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, in which 72 Londoners were killed, yet despite one failed Government deadline after another, as of last month there were still 300 high-rise buildings with ACM yet to be remediated, including 197 blocks in London, let alone the 1,700 other high-rise buildings with different types of dangerous cladding, as estimated by MHCLG. In London, 52 buildings are outstanding in the social sector and 125 in the private sector with ACM cladding still needing to be fixed, leaving thousands of people living in potentially dangerous homes, yet Berkeley Homes Chief Executive, RobPerrins, is reported today in The Times as having said that the Government should relax the ban on ACM and its required removal. Berkeley has apparently 20 tall buildings with ACM still needing to be fixed with Grenfell-type cladding, and it is forecast to have £500million profit per annum for the next five years. Do you agree the best way to respect the memory of the victims of Grenfell is to ensure such homes are made safe to ensure such a disaster can never happen again?

Sadiq Khan: Absolutely. I have not seen the comments of those papers , but I think you are actually right. I am concerned not just about the social housing where there is still ACM cladding, but the private housing where there is ACM cladding. Also you have been campaigning about the non-ACM combustible cladding and you have been campaigning about buildings short of 18 metres, five storeys. We saw the fires in Barking Riverside and Worcester Park. I support your campaigning and your lobbying. It is really important we get this resolved sooner rather than later.

Andrew Dismore: Thanks for that, because despite the Government having banned ACM cladding on all buildings and now consulting on lowering the threshold for combustible cladding to 11-metre high buildings, the Government remediation fund is still only available for buildings of 18metres or higher. Yet, as we have seen from the massive destruction in the recent Worcester Park fire and Barking Riverside fire, lower buildings can be at serious risk too. Do you agree remediation should not be limited only to a crude height threshold?

Sadiq Khan: Absolutely. I met some of those residents affected by both fires. There are also fires across the country. I met residents and campaigners affected by the fire in Bolton in the Cube building, student accommodation. The Mayor of Greater Manchester, AndyBurnham, and others have been doing a great piece of work on this area, absolutely crucial. The speed of those fires spreading is really scary and there are videos of them spreading. But for the brilliance of the residents and the fire service, we could have had injuries and loss of life in those two fires. There are thousands of buildings across our country which are combustible. Some have waking watches, some do not, and families live in fear going to bed every night.

Andrew Dismore: Thanks for that. Lastly from me, the Building Safety Minister, Lord[Stephen]Greenhalgh, last month told the MHCLG Select Committee that councils should consider the compulsory purchase of private sector buildings where remediation is stalled. Do you agree this is a good idea, but could only work if the Government provide the necessary funds for any Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO), which of course should reflect the low value of the unremediated freehold and also the money to promptly complete the remediation works?

Sadiq Khan: We have to be a bit careful. We know how the Government deflects from its responsibility and passes the buck. I am all in favour of there being CPOs either from the Government or from the council, but you and I both know how long it takes and how expensive it is. I think this is an excuse for the Government not to take action. There is no reason for it to not take action. There is no excuse for it not to take action urgently, but what I do not want is it passing the buck to councils or anybody else.

Andrew Dismore: Thank you very much.

Effect of the TfL Funding Agreement

Alison Moore: How do you plan to balance maximising TfL’s revenue along with ensuring safe social distancing is maintained on the Transport Network?

Sadiq Khan: My focus in the short term is not maximising revenue while we are in a challenging financial position. My focus and TfL’s focus is on keeping those who operate and use public transport services in the capital safe.
It is very clear that the current fares income will not cover the cost of running services while so few people are able to use them. TfL is running very nearly a full service now as sick or isolating staff have returned to work, but even at normal service levels the Tube will be able to carry only about 15% of the passengers it could before because of social distancing requirements.
As a result of the Government’s decision in 2015 to withdraw TfL’s operating grant, just over 80% of TfL’s income has been generated through fares and commercial revenues, and fares income has reduced by about 90% during this crisis as Londoners did the right thing and avoided travelling.
This means the need to agree a new funding model has never been greater. This will have to involve long-term sustainable funding from the Government or giving London more control over key taxes so that we can pay for it ourselves. TfL is currently one of the only transport authorities in the world with such low levels of external funding.
The Government insisted on TfL taking steps to maximise revenue in the funding agreement it agreed in May. Some steps are already underway to meet those objectives where it is sensible, such as reinstating front-door boarding on buses to enable resumed fare collection.

Alison Moore: I would like to follow up on some of these safety aspects. On 18May you said that under social distancing Tube capacity was 13% to 15%, but on 2June the Commissioner said the overall planning assumption was 15% to 20% capacity. What has led TfL to revise that capacity upwards?

Sadiq Khan: We are in danger of confusing capacity and demand. The capacity is between about 13% and 15% at 2 metres. If we go out to 1 metre, it goes to 25%. Because TfL staff have been amazing, they are able to provide almost complete lines. For example, the Victoria line is running a train every 80 seconds. That means it is able to meet demand of between 15% and 20%.

Alison Moore: The Prime Minister has said he wants to reduce the 2-metre social distancing requirement, which is key to this, once there is progress made in getting the virus down. Would you be happy to reduce the distance to 1 metre in future and, if so, what needs to happen for you to support such a move?

Sadiq Khan: I have seen in the media about this reduction from 2 metres to 1 metre and I have spoken to business leaders who are really keen to have the reduction sooner rather than later for the simple reason that it could lead to more customers returning to shops and other businesses that people are running. We have to recognise the economic imperative of having a recovery sooner than later.
My view is that the worst thing we could do, for not simply more people catching the virus and dying but also our economy, is to have a second wave. That would overwhelm the NHS and lead to people not returning to shops and businesses. The key things are: where is the virus? How are people catching it? What is the R number? What is the advice from SAGE and the experts, but what are the circumstances in a reduction? Those are the sorts of things that one puts in the mix. I have today written to the Prime Minister asking him to make it mandatory to wear a face covering in shops and other places where you cannot keep a social distance, just like he has now finally in relation to public transport. That will make it safer, in my view, but could lead to more conflicts as well.

Alison Moore: Finally, obviously the economic imperative is a key one, but unfortunately the London COVID Transport Task Force’s terms of reference have remained unpublished. It is going to be obviously a key player in this. However, can you confirm whether the Task Force would be able to reduce social distancing on TfL’s network to 1metre without your agreement if you were still unsure about it and did not feel the evidence was there?

Sadiq Khan: No, it cannot. I am quite clear: the red lines, it is the safety of those who use public transport, and the Commissioner would not allow it. The Commissioner is quite clear about his responsibility in making sure that he is in charge of safety of public transport in London that TfL controls and not some task force.

Alison Moore: Thank you. I am sure Londoners will be very happy to hear that and that you have got their best interests at heart.

Cuts to borough transport programmes

Caroline Russell: Has the pause on existing Transport for London funded borough programmes and the introduction of the smaller Streetspace programme led to an effective cut in funding for walking and cycling?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you, Chair. I do not accept the premise of this question. The Streetspace programme represents a substantial investment in walking and cycling in the capital. TfL’s total borough funding for the next six months has increased from £48million in its original budget to £54million in the emergency budget. More specifically, of this £54million, TfL has ring-fenced £45million to walking and cycling investment on London’s borough roads. This is an increase from £35million for schemes in the original budget. Many of these previous schemes are on pause while the Government and TfL come to a joint financial settlement. TfL has allocated funding for another 500 borough projects across 24 boroughs worth £22million. This includes 38 strategic cycle schemes, 114 low traffic neighbourhoods, 154 school streets and 202 social distancing schemes within town centres across a range of inner and outer London boroughs. Further allocations will be made on a weekly basis.
Our Streetscape programme, a world-leading programme with international acclaim, will fast-track the transformation of many of London’s roads, creating wider pavements for walking on and giving road space to new temporary cycle lanes. These locations will benefit from more space for walking and temporary cycle routes to reduce pressure on the Tube and buses and will accelerate investment in clean, green and sustainable travel, ensuring it is at the heart of London’s recovery. During lockdown, more Londoners have taken to walking and cycling as a safe way to undertake essential travel. As we emerge from lockdown, we believe walking could increase fivefold, with cycling tenfold. On my behalf, TfL is working with London’s boroughs to identify places where temporary changes are needed to support social distancing or that would benefit from cycling and walking improvements.
Some of the temporary changes we are making could become permanent. This has all occurred in the context of a national effort to fight the virus, in support of which TfL has rapidly reduced its passenger numbers to levels not seen for 100years. This has meant its fare and other revenue has fallen by 90%. While enormous challenges remain, including agreeing longer-term sustainable funding for transport in the capital, I am confident the Streetspace programme will play a central role in delivering a successful recovery for our great city.

Caroline Russell: MrMayor, thank you for that, but on Monday at the Transport Committee, SimonKilonback [CFO, TfL] confirmed to me that you have paused Healthy Streets investment, which was meant to be £417million for this year. Now you have just got the Streetspace thing of £80million in the TfL Healthy Streets budget. It looks like you are giving about £60million of the £80million Streets money to the boroughs, which seems like a projection, but their expected budget this year was £131million, so that is effectively a cut to the boroughs of about £70million. What I am worried about is even in this borough funding gap a looming black hole that is going to come for walking and cycling.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I think I got most of that, but there were a couple of glitches; there was some break, but I think I got the gist. The answer is no, we have not cut the money. Some of the money that is not social distancing-related or with this agenda has been paused. The councils could not spend the money anyway, because the councils’ focus has been on programmes to encourage more walking and cycling and to make it easier for people to social distance. You will be aware at the Assembly because of the hearing this week with SimonKilonback [CFO, TfL] and Heidi[Alexander, Deputy Mayor for Transport and Deputy Chair, TfL] and others that we are in negotiations with the Government in relation to the second half of the year. We are keen to make sure councils continue to have the support they need to improve public transport in their areas.

Caroline Russell: The thing is, MrMayor, you are absolutely dependent on the boroughs for delivering on walking and cycling across London. You really need to be fighting their corner with Government to get them more funding. Not only are they dealing with public health, they are also trying to save their high streets, and in the longer term they are going to want not just the temporary plastic measures, but more permanent features as well. In the context of these cuts, how are you going to keep up a pipeline of new permanent schemes?

Sadiq Khan: Again, the gist of that question is I should be fighting harder for London, at the same time as not fighting too hard, according to some Conservative Members of the Assembly, because we should be friendly with the Government.
Look, I will continue to be an advocate and champion for London to get its fair share and that includes for public transport. I am the biggest advocate for the work our councils do, not least because 95% of our roads are controlled by councils, so I am keen to make sure, as I said in the original answer, that some of these temporary schemes become permanent schemes. I am really keen to make sure we help our boroughs and I have already announced today that 24 of our boroughs have come forward with plans which we are financially supporting. On a weekly basis, I will be making announcements of further partnerships between us and these boroughs, who are doing a brilliant job in short spaces of time already to transform more than 15,000 square metres of new walking and cycling. As time goes on, there will be more. I think you are right, AssemblyMemberRussell: we have to get these plastic-type temporary barriers to be permanent, more attractive segregations between cyclists and vehicles.

Caroline Russell: Yes. It is good you are making progress with the temporary schemes, but it feels like that pipeline is slow and absolutely we need to get them more permanent.

Sadiq Khan: We literally cannot go faster, Chair, with respect.

Caroline Russell: MrMayor, TfL’s studies show a potential growth in cycling to ten times the existing level. Does that not mean that you need big investment as well, like the new crossings of the Thames? I wrote to your Deputy Mayor, HeidiAlexander, to prioritise shovel-ready schemes like the Cremorne Bridge, which runs from Wandsworth to Fulham, and also to give an update on your plans for a ferry at Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf. Will you push progress on those schemes now?

Sadiq Khan: The message from the Government in relation to the first half of the financial deal was quite clear in relation to only those that are quite advanced in relation to capital programmes, those with contractual obligations, so those are the priorities. We will make sure in relation to‑‑

Caroline Russell: MrMayor, I am talking about Hammersmith Bridge as a shovel-ready project. You have been invited by the Government to submit shovel-ready projects by this Thursday, by today, and the Cremorne Bridge, which I wrote to the Deputy Mayor for Transport about, could be one of those shovel-ready projects. Is that one that you are considering?

Sadiq Khan: I will ask the question back: is that project shovel-ready?

Caroline Russell: That project is shovel-ready. It is. It has absolutely everything, all the consents. It has a lot of Community Infrastructure Levy, it has consents from both Wandsworth and Fulham. It is absolutely ready to go and has been, actually. You could have cut the ribbon on it now if you had gone for it earlier on in this term.

Sadiq Khan: That is not in the submission to MHCLG today. The submission to MHCLG today does contain Hammersmith Bridge and other projects, but the other two that were referred to by AssemblyMemberRussell will be part of the negotiations we have with the DfT, which will be tough negotiations. I am not going to pretend that the Government has not been very difficult in relation to the monies it gives to London going forward. We have tried to make sure you get as much support as you can from the Government. You will be aware that the cost of COVID to TfL this year will be in the region of £4billion and so the priority has to be what SimonKilonback [CFO, TfL] referred to when he spoke to the Transport Committee, those projects which either have contractual commitments or those projects which are almost completed.

Navin Shah: AssemblyMemberRussell, you are out of time, sorry.

Caroline Russell: Thank you, MrMayor. I am out of time, but it would be very good if you can keep making that case‑‑

Navin Shah: You are out of time, thank you.

Caroline Russell: ‑‑ to fill that looming black hole in the transport funding.